November 18, 2015: Sina Education
In recent years, international schools offering international curricula as well as sending students abroad for overseas study are rapidly developing, and how to select the most suitable school for the personal development of the child has become a main concern for parents. In an attempt to meet the parent demands expressed on the ‘International School Parents Group’ (WeChat: ischoolQZ), Sina Education has specially planned and visited some well-known and influential international schools in Shanghai. We have also published the ‘Shanghai School Exploration Log’ to uncover the mysteries of these schools as well as provided a reference guide for students and parents in choosing the right school.
At a glance
Name: YK Pao School
Founded: 2007
Year levels accepted: 1-12
Curriculum: IGCSE (General Certificate of secondary education)
IB (International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme)
Teacher-student ratio: 1:7
Hukou restrictions: none
The day has just begun for students at Pao School’s Secondary Division. Morning school hours are from 8am to 12pm, and consists of 4-5 classes, including English, maths, and science. With classes concluding at 3pm, afternoon activities run from 3:30-5:00pm, and include debate club, life skills and sports. After dinner, a teacher provides individual tutoring for students.
Parents outside of Shanghai may ask: What kind of school is Pao School? Pao School’s educational programme is well-known in Shanghai’s education sector, not only for its association with late shipping tycoon Sir Yue-Kong Pao, but more for its mission and practices. Sina Education has had the privilege of visiting this acclaimed school and meeting its co-founder, Mr Philip Sohmen.
Pao School is a pioneering international Chinese school. The school is a non-profit private institution founded in 2007, in memory of shipping magnate Sir Yue-Kong Pao, the renowned Chinese businessman, statesman and philanthropist. With over 1000 students from China and overseas, the school offers a unique Year 1-12 educational programme that integrates elements of Shanghai and international curricula, culminating in Years 9-12 with the IGCSE and IB Diploma programmes, both of which are complemented by core components of the Shanghai curriculum. Pao School’s Primary Division is a small but excellent day school campus located in central Shanghai’s Changning District centre, while Secondary Division’s large and beautiful campus grounds offer a UK/US style boarding education.
Establishing China’s ‘Eton College’
Many would associate Pao School with the world-renowned Eton College, undoubtedly because of Sohmen’s educational background – after eight years at Eton College, he went on to study the University of Oxford and Stanford University. Recounting his years at Eton, the impact the school has had on Sohmen is evident – regardless of weather, all students were required to wear short-sleeved shirts to PE class.
A wealth of educational experience has deeply influenced Sohmen’s philosophy on managing a school. His vision is to establish China’s ‘Eton College,’ and he hopes to see Pao School graduates eventually take on the international arena.
The process of a student’s development at Pao School goes far beyond the academic. In order to provide its students with access to the world beyond the curriculum, the school recruited a research scientist from Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital to perform research experiments with students. Pao School emphasises the need to build students' self-confidence and independence, and places much attention on each student’s individual development.
Pao School Secondary Division’s ‘Oxygen Bar,’ a place for self-study
As everyone knows, the three parts of Pao School’s educational mission are: to develop their students’ full potential, give them a foundation in Chinese language and culture and help them become global citizens. Sohmen explains the concept of ‘whole person education,’ saying: ‘We not only need to teach students facts, but also help cultivate their abilities and develop mentally. The study of knowledge is one-dimensional. We want to cultivate ‘multi-dimensional’ individuals that will give back to society.’
The secrets to the top schools in Shanghai
Bilingual education is Pao School’s most distinctive feature. The programme includes both Chinese and international curricula. Through mindful application of these two curricula at different stages of their academic lives, students not only study both English and Chinese, but also have the opportunity for academic and cultural exchange.
Sina Education has learned that Pao School’s Primary Division (offering Years 1 through 5) curriculum utilises the Shanghai two-phase educational reform, combined with content, resources and teaching approaches from major international curricula, culminating in a carefully-designed high-quality programme established in consultation with Chinese and foreign educational experts. In Years 6 to 8, Pao School utilises the world-renowned Shanghai curriculum complemented by selected learning standards from around the world, while Year 9 and 10 students study the IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) combined with the Shanghai curriculum. At this stage, 85% of course content is in English. At the Year 11 and 12 level, students study the IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma Programme, also infused with Shanghai curricula.
Chinese and international students attend class together at Primary Division
The rich campus life is one of the highlights of Pao School. Over 80% of students join various sports teams, and the school also regularly organises outdoor camping and tour activities for students in different year levels. Life at the Secondary Division offers even more diversity, with programmes including sports, music and drama, where students may choose the activities that interest them most.
Secondary Division Library, a quiet and comfortable reading environment for students
Ensuring parents’ ideas on education are in line with those of the school
Pao School differs most from other international or bilingual schools in that it is a non-profit school. According to Sohmen, all of the school’s revenue is used to fund its daily operations as well as its development. Currently, the school’s operation expenses account for 95% of its revenue from tuition fees.
Student work on display in the Primary Division corridors
Sina Education has learned that the school established the Pao School Foundation in 2010 in order to provide continued financial support for the development of the school, monitor the investment and management of school funds, and allocate these funds for the development of school.
Many may consider Pao School a school reserved for the wealthy. Would the school admit academically outstanding students from ordinary families? ‘At Pao School, many of our parents are successful individuals at the top of their field, but we don’t select students based on their family backgrounds. We certainly need to meet with parents, but it’s not their employment background that is the most important, but that their educational goals and philosophies are in line with those of the school.’
In addition, the school supports students with scholarships and financial assistance, with some academically outstanding students receiving both. ‘All scholarships and financial assistance are funded by the Pao School Foundation,’ noted Sohmen.
At Pao School, events often involve parents. Parents may provide housemasters/housemistresses with feedback. In addition, at Junior Secondary Division, the Director of Academic Affairs meets once per month with the PTA to facilitate dialogue between parents and teachers.
As Sina Education has learned, Pao School does not plan to bring its educational model in other cities at this time. ‘We are still developing, and we need to focus our energies cultivating teachers and improving the curriculum. A school is not a simple replica. Of course, this is something we may consider when the school has fully matured.’
Interview
P: Sina Education Editor Peng Kun
S: Pao School Co-Founder Philip Sohmen
P: Some of the information that is posted about you online is quite interesting. Can you tell us more about your background?
S: I grew up in Hong Kong. When I was a child, I studied at two schools: an international kindergarten in the morning, and a Chinese kindergarten in the afternoon. At eight years old, I attended a boarding school in the UK, first at a traditional boys’ school, where I studied the equivalent of upper grade primary school and junior high school. After that, I earned a King’s Scholarship to Eton College, which offers a five-year programme. I was then accepted at both Harvard University and the University of Oxford, eventually deciding to study at Oxford. For my graduate studies, I attended Stanford University.
P: Between Harvard University and the University of Oxford, why did you choose the latter?
S: The first reason was that I felt that Oxford’s major programme was more appealing and more unique. The second was its one-on-one or two-on-one teaching environment. Because Harvard’s undergraduate classes are large, many graduate students teach to undergraduate students, but at Oxford, professors personally teach their students. Students study the course material independently, complemented by a few lectures, but one-on-one discussion with professors comprises the bulk of the teaching process.
P: You received high school education at Eton. What had the greatest influence on you during your years there?
S: Mainly in three aspects: the first is that Eton's classroom learning extends beyond the curriculum. There are national courses as well as other courses – this is very inspiring for students. Also, the teachers there love the subjects they teach. That’s the culture of the entire school.
The second aspect is that Eton cultivates self-confidence in its students. If students find an area of interest, the school encourages them to develop further in that area. This makes Eton's graduates a very diverse group – they are politicians, artists, scientists and etc.
Last is that Eton’s students learn to persevere. At Eton, only three days are allocated for hot water showers. We are an all-boys’ school, so there’s a greater emphasis on perseverance and overcoming rough patches. PE is required – all students wear shorts regardless of the weather. To be honest, it was difficult to get used to, but now that I look back on the experience, it most certainly influenced my life. Eton cultivates students that are self-confident, able to bear hardships and have individual character.
P: Does Pao School also reflect these aspects you’ve mentioned?
S: Absolutely, and not only in the classroom. For example, this year, we have recently recruited a scientist from the Massachusetts General Hospital to conduct research at Pao School. I hope to see him involve the students in his research, even if it’s not necessarily related to the curriculum. We want to foster individual personality and self-confidence in our students. Why do we advocate boarding education? We want to cultivate a level of independence in students, the kind that will allow them to resolve issues they may come across in life. Some Chinese parents may worry this would affect their relationships with their children, but I believe it’s a different kind of relationship, one that is more equal, like a friendship, and not one in which the parent simply manages and disciplines.
P: What was the reason you founded Pao School?
S: Partly due to the influence of my family. My grandfather was very much involved in education. My mother also founded the Chinese International School in Hong Kong in 1983, the first to advocate the bilingual teaching that incorporated Putonghua at a time where the people of Hong Kong did not speak it. My mother felt the study of Putonghua was important, so she and several friends established an international school that emphasises the study of Chinese language.
My mother has always emphasised the study of Chinese. There’s a story behind this. Eton has a strong foreign language programme that includes studies in French, German, Japanese and Arabic. My mother then asked the headmaster why Chinese was not included, to which he responded that no students would study it, and that there wasn’t a budget for such a programme. She said: ‘I’ll help you solve these issues. First, my son is studying at Eton. Second, I’ll provide you with ten years of funding. Third, I will find a recommended Chinese instructor from China. That was the year 1991, and since then, Eton had a Chinese programme, whereas many institutions have only recently began launching Chinese language programmes. My family has truly had great impact on me.
I also became interested in education as a graduate student at Stanford. I like to take on meaningful projects that give back to the community. At the time, I was working at a multinational company in the US, but my role didn’t have a great influence on the world. Companies will manage with or without you, but with education, the students you influence now will go on to influence many others.
P: Did you find it difficult to establish Pao School? What did you find most difficult in that process?
S: It was difficult, and the greatest challenge was to change certain ideas, like those of parents and students. Many criticise Chinese education, but I believe Chinese education has been very successful in meeting the needs of a large number of students, and government officials truly have an in-depth understanding of education. However, in many cases, we found we needed to change parents’ concept and mentality towards education, and this requires time. Our school is a new concept – we need people to accept it, and we need plenty of support from all levels of government. The other issue is earning the trust of parents, and giving them a different perspective on education. Chinese parents tend to be less interested in the long-term, and are primarily concerned with exam results, but with Pao School, they are able to see our international students develop their own interests, and after deciding to enrol at our school, they begin to notice changes in their own children as well. We prepare students for life, not simply to write university entrance exams and find work.
P: When you founded Pao School, many media outlets wondered if the school was a UK-style school in its attempt to establish China’s ‘Eton College.’
S: Establishing China’s ‘Eton College’ doesn’t mean we are replicating Eton’s educational model – after all, Eton is an all boys’ school with a 600 year-history, while we are a school that combines Chinese and international education for years 1-12. At Eton, students attend church service every day, which is impossible to do here. Bringing Eton to China is in essence, not appearance. In the years to come, we hope to see Pao School become just as influential as Eton.
Meanwhile, aside from Eton, there are some aspects we’ve learned from the US as well, including areas of technological innovation, an area in which the US has outperformed the UK.
P: What do you feel is the true essence of whole person education?
S: At the time, the founders established three missions: To develop our children's full potential, give them a foundation in Chinese language and culture, and help them become global citizens. Whole person education is not a new concept – it’s been mentioned before in local and international education. Our understanding of whole person education is one in which we not only teach students facts, but also help to cultivate their abilities and develop mentally. Students also need a clear set of values to guide their actions. The study of knowledge is one-dimensional. We want to cultivate ‘multi-dimensional’ individuals that will give back to society.
P: Private schools have been getting more and more attention from families in recent years. What advice do you have for parents in selecting an international or private school for their children?
S: I would advise parents not to follow trends or make their decisions based on those of other parents, but rather to make their own decisions and remain firm on these decisions. Last year I started a Shanghai International Youth Orchestra and found that Chinese children were either studying the piano or the violin. Why are our children learning only two kinds of musical instruments? There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to children. Many children take up these instruments when they’re young and then eventually give up studying them. The best way is to let children develop their own interests.
The Pao School logo
As you can see with our school logo, the three fruits represent the three founders, three parts of our mission, and the three most important aspects of a student’s life: the students themselves, their teachers and their parents. In China, emphasis is placed almost entirely on teachers and parents, who do things for their children rather than guiding them and give them the space to learn to do things for themselves.
P: The mention of Pao School brings to mind an elite school for the wealthy. What are the provisions for academically outstanding students faced with financial hardships?
S: In this regard, we’ve learned from Eton. At Pao School, many of our parents are successful individuals at the top of their field, but we don’t select students based on their family backgrounds. We certainly need to meet with parents, but it’s not their employment background that is most important, but that their educational goals and philosophies are in line with those of the school. If the prospective parents believe that exam results are first and foremost, then they likely won’t be a good fit for the school. We also have two programmes to support students in need of financial assistance. One is our scholarships programme and the other is our financial aid programme. Some students even receive both. We want academically outstanding students to have the chance to attend Pao School, and we are also working hard at promotions in order to dispel the notion that we are a school for the privileged. I also want to note that all scholarships and financial assistance are funded by the Pao School Foundation.
P: Pao School is quite successful now. Have you considered bringing your educational model to other parts of the world?
S: Not at the moment. Why is that? We are still in a phase of development – we will not see our first cohort of graduates until the year 2017. We still need to focus our energies on perfecting our curriculum and training our teachers. The school has strict requirements when it comes to a high quality education. As such, we don’t want to risk bringing our model elsewhere at the cost of compromising the quality of our programme. Pao School’s parents have placed their trust in us. This is also the difference between for-profit and non-profit schools. That’s not to say that for-profit schools are bad, but the goal and focus of a business model are different. A for-profit school emphasises standardisation, while I prefer individualisation. A school is not simply a replica. I believe this has to do with the focus of Pao School. That said, there’s always a possibility of branching out to other parts of the world.
